It Is An Empty Box...Only You Can Fill It.

When we begin to lead a business, we get that business from the start.  One thing we discover is that the business we begin is very much like opening a new box.  The box may be big or small, difficult or easy to open...either way, the box we open is empty.  Our business does not come with a full box.  It is empty.

There is nothing inside.  It is vacant.  The business we build will be the things we place into the box.  Every little insignificant effort, failed idea, relationship we begin and all of the great things we do will be placed into that box.  As the box becomes filled, it will become heavier with time from all of the experiences we place inside.

Soon we will discover that others will be asked to help us manage the size of that box.  The weight will eventually become too heavy for us to manage by ourselves.  Now we have permitted others to place their items, thoughts, energy, ideas and efforts into that same box.  At that time we discover the box has become a part of more than what we first imagined.  Many things in that box appear without our knowledge and what's more is that some of the contents appear without our complete control.

Our box takes on a life that challenges our development skills.  Our box takes on a life that pushes our leadership skills.  And most of all, our box takes on a life that forces us how to learn basic survival skills.

Your Business Becomes What You Put Inside Your Box

Our box becomes the container for our business affairs.  What the box holds and attracts will become what the business grows to be.  Everyone who has a business gets somewhat caught up with the minutiae of daily details.  The more we grow, the more we find too much important stuff to do that is not getting done.  We also discover that we are doing a whole lot of things we do not need to be doing.  Our box begins to overflow with details and stuff, much of which has no business being there.  Every once in awhile, it becomes necessary to clean our boxes out.  We need to visit the items we have in our box and determine what needs to stay and what needs to go.  If we have a little bit of hoarding in our characteristics, we may be keeping some stuff in our box that does not really need to be there.  Try to examine your box and learn what you have stored inside.  See if there are items in your box that no longer need to be there.  It is just fine to begin removing some of those things.  Make sure you check in on this before you discard some of those things.  You may want to visit the people who placed the items in the box before you discard them.  Discuss the value of the things you plan to discard.  It might be worth your time to share these efforts instead of riding the horse into the sunset all by yourself.  Think before you discard.  Sometimes keeping it in the box is less damaging than immediate removal.  But it is your business...you work it out.  Remember, you have many important relationships linked to the items in that box.  Some of them may be customer driven.  Be "care"ful.

Make a list of all of things you found in your box that you no longer believe is necessary to stay.  Set that list aside.  Positively procrastinate on removing those items on your list.  Let them ferment a little bit for about two weeks.  Then go back to the list and see if the same ones are as important to remove as you initially thought.  You will find more security to your business model if your add this kind of accurate thinking to the process.  Remember, it is not a race to build a valuable business model.  It takes time and creative thought to work through the bumps you will have to endure.  Be patient and do the steps.

Good luck on the box of business management.